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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: mattj0206 on July 14, 2008, 06:21:26 PM

Title: Tire question
Post by: mattj0206 on July 14, 2008, 06:21:26 PM
I am about to put a bt014 radial 160/60/17 on the rear and run the stock bt45 on the front is this gonna cause some crazy handling characteristics or should it be alright i tend to go through the corners pretty quickly but i need to ride my bike to work and dont have cash to get a new front
Title: Re: Tire question
Post by: Tang on July 14, 2008, 06:33:38 PM
some say that its bad

i think the highest i've heard on the rear tire in the back is a 150?

but good luck and let me know if u get them how they handle and feel
Title: Re: Tire question
Post by: mattj0206 on July 14, 2008, 06:43:43 PM
well i have the wheel already and im installing it friday its a sv650 wheel and by my measurements ill have about 3/8 inch on each side before i hit the swing arm and from my research it should be ok. I just have to space out the sprocket. Im just worried that i have to run the stock front
Title: Re: Tire question
Post by: Tang on July 14, 2008, 06:50:27 PM
oh sweet get pictures once u get the wheel on i want to see what the SV650 wheel looks like lol :-D
Title: Re: Tire question
Post by: shaun on July 14, 2008, 09:51:36 PM
the 14 is a bit more sticky than the 45 so you might find the front end pushing through the corners
Title: Re: Tire question
Post by: ben2go on July 15, 2008, 09:00:32 AM
I had serious problem running a 160.The chain will rub the tire even after spacing the sprocket.If you space the sprocket and the center looses contact with the carrier it will break the sprocket bolts.You may have to space the sprocket carrier away from the wheel.Space it no more that 3.5 mm from the wheel.The sprocket carrier will slip out of the carrier bushings under load.Here's my 160.

(http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb17/ben_2_go/Motorcycle%20Stuff/1989%20GS500%20Build/0626081656a.jpg)
Title: Re: Tire question
Post by: Roadstergal on July 15, 2008, 09:20:31 AM
Quote from: shaun on July 14, 2008, 09:51:36 PM
the 14 is a bit more sticky than the 45 so you might find the front end pushing through the corners

That's the only thing I'd be worried about.  I've run mismatched tires all over the place, but I like the front to always be the stickier tire.  If one end is going to break free, the rear is a lot safer (and more fun).
Title: Re: Tire question
Post by: mattj0206 on July 15, 2008, 04:37:47 PM
from all my measurements it should line up with about 1/4 inch of spacing on the chain. I thought i just seen a post where a guy was running a 160 on a gs500f
Title: Re: Tire question
Post by: bucks1605 on July 15, 2008, 04:46:53 PM
Is the bt45 a bias-ply? If so, you shouldn't run a bias-ply and a radial at the same time.
Title: Re: Tire question
Post by: mattj0206 on July 15, 2008, 05:16:34 PM
yes the front is bias ply and the rear will be radial thats basically what i was asking if this will be really bad for it
Title: Re: Tire question
Post by: bucks1605 on July 15, 2008, 05:40:29 PM
That's what I'm currently running, the rear tire that came with my kat wheel still had about 80% tread left. I think it's a radial, I know my front is a bias-ply. A few times I've gotten the rear loose going through corners, I don't really trust it anymore. Plus I've heard it's dangerous to mix the two.
Title: Re: Tire question
Post by: ben2go on July 16, 2008, 08:29:41 AM
Quote from: mattj0206 on July 15, 2008, 04:37:47 PM
from all my measurements it should line up with about 1/4 inch of spacing on the chain. I thought i just seen a post where a guy was running a 160 on a gs500f


That was me and I just posted a pic above with description of how I did it.
Title: Re: Tire question
Post by: mattj0206 on July 16, 2008, 12:31:46 PM
what did you use to space out the sprocket carrier
Title: Re: Tire question
Post by: ben2go on July 16, 2008, 01:19:58 PM
Quote from: mattj0206 on July 16, 2008, 12:31:46 PM
what did you use to space out the sprocket carrier

A custom machined spacer but you can use flat washers.Make sure they fit snuggly to the axle bolt and make sure they don't stack no higher than 3 to 3.5 mm.I was advised to not go over 3mm but I pushed it to 3.5mm.So far so good.Much more and the carrier teeth(fro lack of a better word) will slip out of the cush drive bushings(commonly referred to as rubbers).